Begonia Plant Named ‘BBBON WIT’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Begonia  plant named ‘BBBON WIT’, characterized by its compact, upright and mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; numerous double flowers that are white in color and held above the foliage; and good postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Begonia×hiemalis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘BBBON WIT’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Begonia plant, botanically known as Begonia×hiemalis, commercially known as Elatior Begonia, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘BBBON WIT’.

The new Begonia is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the Begonia×hiemalis cultivar BBBON, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,587. The new Begonia was discovered and selected by the Inventor from within a population of plants of the cultivar BBBON in a controlled environment in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands during the summer of 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Begonia by cuttings in a controlled environment in a greenhouse in Rijsenhout, the Netherlands since the summer of 2005, has shown that the unique features of this new Begonia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar BBBON WIT has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘BBBON WIT’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘BBBON WIT’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Begonia:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and mounded plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Numerous double flowers that are white in color and held         above the foliage.     -   4. Good postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Begonia differ primarily from plants of the parent, the cultivar BBBON, in flower form and flower color as plants of the cultivar BBBON have fewer tepals per flower and have dark pink-colored tepals.

Plants of the new Begonia can also be compared to plants of the cultivar Netja Dark, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands, plants of the new Begonia differed from plants of the cultivar Netja Dark in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Begonia had more tepals per flower than         plants of the cultivar Netja Dark.     -   2. Margins of inner tepals of plants of the new Begonia were         somewhat serrate whereas margins of inner tepals of plants of         the cultivar Netja Dark were entire.     -   3. Plants of the new Begonia and the cultivar Netja Dark         differed in flower color as plants of the cultivar Netja Dark         had dark reddish pink-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Begonia, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Begonia. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘BBBON WIT’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used for the aforementioned photograph and following observations and measurements were grown in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands in 13-cm containers and under commercial practice in a glass-covered greenhouse during the spring and summer. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures ranged from 15° C. to 20° C. and light levels were about 18,000 lux. Plants used for the photograph and the description were about three months from planting.

-   Botanical classification: Begonia×hiemalis cultivar BBBON WIT. -   Commercial classification: Elatior Begonia. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the     Begonia×hiemalis cultivar BBBON, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.     18,587. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About two weeks at temperatures of             about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About three to five             weeks at temperatures of about 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; plants of the new Begonia             have not been observed to form tubers.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form.—Compact, upright and mounded plant habit,             inverted triangle; freely branching with good stem and stem             base strength. Flowers are double and abundant. Moderate             growth rate.         -   Plant height.—About 20 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 20 cm to 25 cm.         -   Basal branch description.—Quantity: Freely basal branching             with about five to six basal branches developing per plant.             Length: About 9 cm to 13 cm. Diameter: About 1 cm to 3 cm.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 144C.         -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Simple, alternate. Length:             About 8 cm to 9 cm. Width: About 5 cm to 6 cm. Shape:             Roughly deltoid. Apex: Acute. Base: Cordate to oblique.             Margin: Serrate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous; velvety. Venation pattern: Palmate. Color:             Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface: 139A;             venation, 139B. Developing and fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: 136A; venation, 139B. Petiole length: About 4 cm to             6 cm. Petiole diameter: About 4 mm. Petiole texture, upper             and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Petiole color, upper             and lower surfaces: 136B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flowering habit.—Double flowers with numerous tepals             arranged in axillary cymes. Usually six to seven open             flowers per cyme. Many cymes in flower simultaneously.             Flowers positioned upright and outwardly above the foliage.             Flowers not fragrant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants will flower continuously             year round in the greenhouse, however plants flower earlier             and more abundantly during the summer in The Netherlands.             Good postproduction longevity, flowers last about four weeks             on the plant. Flowers persistent.         -   Cyme height.—About 5 cm to 7 cm.         -   Cyme diameter.—About 6 cm to 7 cm.         -   Flowers.—Shape: Oval; rose-like. Diameter: About 4 cm to             5 cm. Depth (height): About 1 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Shape: Ovoid. Length: About 1 cm to 1.5 cm.             Diameter: About 2 cm. Color: Close to 157B.         -   Tepals.—Arrangement: Rosette. Quantity per flower: Usually             about 10 to 15 per flower. Length: About 2 cm to 3 cm.             Width: About 3 cm to 4 cm. Shape: Obovate to rounded. Apex:             Rounded, obtuse. Margin: Entire to somewhat serrate.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; satiny.             Color: When opening, upper surface: 157D. When opening,             lower surface: 157B. Fully opened, upper surface: 155B.             Fully opened, lower surface: 155D.         -   Flower bracts.—Quantity/arrangement: Two, opposite. Shape:             Broadly ovate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper             and lower surfaces: Glabrous, smooth. Color, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 145B.         -   Peduncles.—Angle: Erect to about 30° to 45° from vertical.             Length: About 4 cm to 5 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm to 4 mm.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 144B.         -   Pedicels.—Angle: About 30° to 45° from the peduncle. Length:             About 2 cm to 3 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm to 3 mm. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 146D.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: None observed. Pistils: None             observed.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production have not been             observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to     Begonia has not been observed. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Begonia have been observed     to tolerate temperatures from about 10° C. to about 35° C. 

1. A new and distinct Begonia plant named ‘BBBON WIT’ as illustrated and described. 